A weekly podcast by Terry Linhart for people who want to make a difference.

A funny thing happened on the way to the podcast: The very "Meta 12 Summer Challenge" that I started for the podcast community helped me to see that I needed to quit doing the podcast. Ironic, isn't it? The Meta 12 challenge gave me more clarity on the irons I had in the fire and how I need to focus on my work at Bethel College, my work with Arbor Research Group, and my writing.

So, I thank you for your commitment to this venture. It was a joy and I think I may not be done in the podcast. But, for now this is the final episode of this show.

Coaching with Terry Linhart is hosted by author, speaker, and educator Terry Linhart.

Everyone teaches. If we work to influence others in some way, we're instructing them about a need they have. And most of us want to be better communicators. In this episode, Terry covers eight rules that will instantly improve your communication.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! - Meta 12 is back! META 12 is a simple 12-week challenge to make some fundamental "meta" changes to our lives. One of the great advantages you get for Meta 12 is a step-by-step series of resources to help you set good goals and then get them done. Beginning with a goal-setting guide and then helps to get you thinking about how you can grow productively, mentally, socially, spiritually, relationally, and financially, you'll find that this process alone is worth joining in. Visit the website to learn more and then take the challenge.

Ask a question for Terry to answer next week! You can be on a future podcast if you ask a good question that will be helpful to others. Just head over to my QUESTION page, record it, and I'll answer the best questions that I get on a future episode!

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Coaching with Terry Linhart is hosted by author, speaker, and educator Terry Linhart.

If a group, business, family, or relationship is going to stand the test of time, then learning how to resolve conflict is critical to its success. However, we don't hear or say "I'm sorry" very often. We live in an anger of age and drama and there are few models for us in how to apologize in healthy ways. We expect people to "just get over it" eventually.

Research shows that even the best leaders make mistakes as they push forward and take chances. But they also know how to admit they were mistakes and keep leading forward. Being decisive has risks and when the best leaders can admit that they made a mistake, they usually find that others rally around that with greater certainty than around leaders who act like they're always right.

Because we all make mistakes. We all wrong others. And we need to get the apology thing "right."

Ask a question for Terry to answer next week! You can be on a future podcast if you ask a good question that will be helpful to others. Just head over to my QUESTION page, record it, and I'll answer the best questions that I get on a future episode!

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Coaching with Terry Linhart is hosted by author, speaker, and educator Terry Linhart.

What if I told you that you had complete control over one of the main reasons people are successful in life? Too often we attribute success to talent, tireless hard work, and luck. Those certainly can contribute, but they aren't the main reason. They aren't the "ace card" that we're all wishing we had in those we work alongside.

In addition to being able to make good decisions (see episode 14), a successful person has to be RELIABLE. Reliability is what seperates people in the workplace, the nonprofit world, and school from others. I talk about why reliability matters in this episode, share the four elements that contribute to reliability, and provide the next steps for us to work at becoming more reliable.

Ask a question for Terry to answer next week! You can be on a future podcast if you ask a good question that will be helpful to others. Just head over to my QUESTION page, record it, and I'll answer the best questions that I get on a future episode!

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Coaching with Terry Linhart is hosted by author, speaker, and educator Terry Linhart.

CEO's live in a unique space and they don't show up at conferences or on social media. If you want to catch one for an interview, you have to show up at his/her workplace. I have wanted to interview Kip Wieland ever since I once heard him say that CEO's have to find a personal balance between serenity and enterprise if they are to survive. So I made the trip to his factory.

I wanted to learn more about what he meant because his comment came at a time when I was trying to find a similar balance. I also wanted to learn how such a creative person like Kip could effectively lead the administrative team of one the country's most innovative furniture companies. If you've flown American, Delta, Jet Blue or other airlines, visited Disneyworld or Google headquarters, or sat in a hospital chair, you've benefited from the work of Wieland Designs or Six Inch. And you'll benefit from the insights Kip shares from the top as he works to mesh his unique personality with the day-to-day responsibilities of a CEO.

Many of us have responsibilities that keep us up at night. It's tough to know when to turn off our minds and the lights and it's even more difficult to find peace when the waters of commerce or nonprofit leadership get rough. And if they're not rough now, they will be sometime. Some of us are also very creative and yet tasked with deeply administrative routines and tasks. Kip provides a rich perspective on all of this and this interview will be an encouragement to you no matter what your work responsibilities are.

Some people have trouble making decisions for various reasons. Yet for leaders of all types, being decisive is one of the primary needs for those who work with them. Being decisive is a predictor of leadership success, more so than more commonly thought contributors like a work ethic or experience. Terry talks about some of the latest research about decisiveness from the book THE CEO NEXT DOOR by Elena L. Botelho and Kim R. Powell (with Tahl Raz). Botehlo and Powell (they work with the consulting firm ghSMART and manage the CEO Genome project) interviewed 2600 CEO's from across the country. It's a recommended book by Terry and discusses this finding from the study that will help you become more aware of your own decision-making processes.

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Coaching with Terry Linhart is hosted by author, speaker, and educator Terry Linhart.

What would make the most difference in the lives of others around us? What if it’s us helping them take their next best step? Most people we meet and walk past every day in our communities are people who are trying to do their best and live a better life. But sometimes they don’t know what steps to take and there are obstacles in place that are keeping them from doing that. And it may be up to us to help them take those steps.

Derick Buggs has been a community leader in the South Bend area for decades in business, church leadership, and now in city social services. He has a successful record of accomplishment in mentoring young men and helping them overcome obstacles.

Derick is a frequent speaker around the Midwest and a sought-after expert on mentoring young men in urban contexts. He stops by the podcast to share stories of encouragement and reminds us that the people we meet at fast food restaurants and in the community need our care and attention if we just stop long enough to pay attention.

What step do you want to take this week to be better, more charitable, or stronger than you were last week? Too many people ignore parts of their lives to their own detriment. How we think, the way we eat and exercise (or not), our spiritual life, and our mental growth are all intertwined. It's the way God fashioned us. We need to invest in ways that help us be the loving leaders we ought to be - at home, work, and in our communities.

April Diaz (@AprillDiaz) is a former youth worker who is now a highly-successful leadership and wellness coach. She guests on the podcast to talk about her work and to share about the importance of good coaching

Time management is always something people want to improve. Terry shares 4 proven strategies to help you organize your time, get stuff done, and have guilt-free time off. This "bracketing" approach has helped many make the most of their days, weeks, months, and years. Those he coaches find ways to handle constant demands and interruptions, free up time for creative projects, and be able to go on vacation.... and LOVE IT!

Terry talks about his Meta12 summer group and the year-long version. Meta12 is an opportunity to dream, organize, and accomplish goals within a community. For more information, visit www.meta12.us.

How does your story shape your present? Do you have a story you want to tell? Where have you felt a deep sense of welcome lately? When have you tried to join a group and clearly weren’t welcomed? Story and welcome shape our present in dramatic ways and this week’s podcast helps us think about them in fresh ways as we move and live in our communities.

That is what we’ve heard as people have signed up for a fun summer challenge called Meta 12. It is a 90-day challenge to help you set and get some goals or to overcome some routines and ruts that have held you back. Join a diverse community of like-minded folks who want to make a change in their lives. You can learn more at Meta12.us.

But sign up soon because registration closes June 1!

If you’re interested in an online MBA or a MA in Ministry, check out the amazing programs at Bethel College (Indiana).